


je (ne) t’aime (pas)

by 78PercentRegret



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Australia, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Developing Relationship, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Jisung is dramatic, M/M, Rated teen for language, Seungmin is unfortunately caught in hyunsungs bullshit, because teenage boys and such, thats relevant because this story is based in my Australian High School TM
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 19:57:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18971974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/78PercentRegret/pseuds/78PercentRegret
Summary: Hyunjin is failing French, Jisung is decidedly not, and Seungmin just wants them to get along





	je (ne) t’aime (pas)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and I hope you enjoy the read!
> 
>  
> 
> Just a minor detail that isn’t too relevant to the story but is probably worth noting.
> 
> Year levels:  
> Chan and Woojin are yr 12  
> Minho and Changbin are yr 11  
> millennium line are yr 10

Jisung doesn’t even really like French, but when it came time to either drop it or pick another subject he decided to continue. He had ended up with Seungmin in his class (his best friend and someone who actually enjoyed the subject) and it was one he knew he could ace with minimal effort. Besides, you don’t know true satisfaction until you pronounce something in French with a perfect accent. Jisung almost cried when finally pronounced  _ grande  _ without sounding like he was choking severely. It’s not his favourite subject in the world but he signed up for it. What he did  _ not  _ sign up for was tutoring Hyunjin Hwang.

While Jisung doesn’t like Hyunjin, it’d be fine if they never interacted. But it’s not, and they do. They run in the similar circles and consider the same friend group as the one they’re closest with and they’re in almost all the same classes (thank god Hyunjin does dance and systems tech instead of a sport and viscom). Jisung has to see Hyunjin’s stupid face everyday and they’re both petty. Everytime Jisung is picked on by a teacher to read something aloud or is called out for talking he hears a telltale giggle and he hates every single note, as if each high sound is piercing him directly in the ears (Seungmin always rolls his eyes at Jisung’s exaggerated wince. “His laugh is cute,” he’d say, “You’re just a dick.”) Sometimes he holds eye contact with Hyunjin as he slams his books down and sits at a desk.

(“...Agressive,” Seungmin says every time he does.

“Shut up, Seungmin.”)

He did not sign up for tutoring Hyunjin.

  
  
  
  


 

**dandyboy_** :

hey i’m really sorry but could u tutor hyunjin for me?

he really needs the help in french and u know how busy i am

 

**jj.han** :

and u know we dont like each other

why not literally anyone else??

im sure chan and woojin did french

 

**dandyboy_** :

theyre yr 12s

vce

they probs have it worse than me

besides youre actually a God at french

i really am sorry sungie but hyunjin’s MY friend at least so i wanna help him out :((

do it for me??

 

**jj.han** :

,,fine

but you fucking owe me

 

**dandyboy_** :

<33

 

**jj.han** :

ass <3

  
  
  
  


 

So Jisung finds himself sitting in the library with all his French stuff wishing he was literally anywhere but there. He gets infinitely more uncomfortable when Hyunjin finally slumps into the seat across from him. They sit for a few minutes in silence, tension creeping up and encasing them like it’s quicksand. He feels like he’s finally going to succumb to the sweet relief of awkwardness-induced death when Hyunjin speaks up.

“Hi,” he offers, voice bland and eyes averted.

“Hi,” Jisung returns while he immediately berates himself internally. He always talks so, so much; why can he barely tell this stupid pretty boy hello? Jisung tries to push away his uncomfort. He decides he will be a good friend for Seungmin and he will teach Hyunjin well and he will make sure he passes French out of pure spite if he has to. “So,” he starts with, drawing the word out the way you would if you were about to tell your son about the birds and the bees, “What do you need help with?” He’s sporting a small grimace at this point. Talking to his metaphorical son about fucking would be just as bad of situation as this. (“You’re so dramatic,” Seungmin tells him not for the first time.

“No one asked, Seungmin.”)

When Hyunjin only fidgets with his books in response Jisung sighs and waves his hand so Hyunjin will actually look at him. It feels like an enactment of a shitty first date that comes with a generous serving of regret that he didn’t sign up for. When he finally has Hyunjin’s eyes on him he suddenly wants to shrink but pushes on anyway. “Look, I know we’re not exactly on good terms-” Hyunjin has the gall to roll his eyes “-but I’m actually here to help you.”

“What if I don’t want your help?”  _ Petty bitch,  _ Jisung thinks to himself and he scoffs.

“You can choose to fail all you fucking want, that’s not my responsibility, but you trust Seungmin, right?” Hyunjin gives a stiff nod and grips a pen tightly. “Then trust that he knows what he’s doing in telling you to get help from me.”

He watches Hyunjin deflate and reluctantly slide a few sheets of paper toward him. “These are the catch-up worksheets I’ve been given. The instructions are in French though, and I don’t think this is a topic I’ve done yet.”

Jisung looks over the work and hums in understanding, diving into work mode. “This is  _ le passé composé _ , so you’ve definitely done it before but I’ll jog your memory.” He opens his notebook to the right page and gives a brief overview of the topic. “It’s just the past tense stuff,” he says and Hyunjin nods along. “This sheet is  _ le passé composé  _ in  _ avoir _ , and this one is  _ être _ so start on the  _ avoir  _ one first and I’ll point out the specific details about the  _ être  _ one.” He looks up to make sure Hyunjin is following along and is pleased to find his student (ha, Hyunjin is his  _ student)  _ listening along diligently. He seems to have relaxed since realising Jisung is genuinely trying to help (despite Jisung’s not so genuine and more so spiteful intent). “Do you wanna copy down my notes?”

“Yes, please,” Hyunjin says, leaning forward and eyeing Jisung’s exercise book almost eagerly.

Jisung moves to shift his notebook and then pulls it back with a slight epiphany. He gestures to the seat next to him. “It’d be easier for the both of us if we were next to each other,” he says and finds Hyunjin’s hands freezing from where they’d been rearranging his work and his eyes on him, comically wide. Jisung realises that they both must have been worried about working with their ‘enemy’ and laughs a little. “Come on. Despite what you may believe, I don’t bite,” he says, picking up his usual wit again, “Let me wax poetic about auxiliaries and past participles.” He allows himself a self-satisfied grin when Hyunjin slides over and giggles, the sound suddenly not as grating as before. Maybe it’s because Hyunjin’s finally laughing  _ with  _ him, not at him. It’s a pleasant feeling.

“Wow, your handwriting is  _ actually  _ illegible,” Hyunjin says after pulling Jisung’s notebook towards himself.

Jisung splutters and flaps his arms wildly in mock offense. “It’s pretty! Has character! Besides, it makes it harder to cheat from my work.” Hyunjin laughs again. “I’m actually sorry, though,” Jisung says with a voice that’s unnecessarily sincere, “I know it’s hard to read. If anything’s too small or too messy just ask.”

“I will,” Hyunjin says with his head down, already scrawling. Then after a beat, “Your handwriting  _ is _ pretty.”

Jisung splutters again but this time he has a slightly flushed face to match. “Thank you,” he says quietly, and they both get stuck into their work. A bit of tension is still there, but Jisung feels like he can breathe again.

 

“Does that say  _ l- lou- loule _ ? I’m confused.”

“What the fuck?  _ Loule _ ? It says  _ toute!  _ What the fuck is  _ loule?” _

_ “Oh!” _

  
  
  
  


 

Jisung is pleasantly surprised because Hyunjin actually isn’t an asshole. Who knew? Seungmin knew. Literally everyone but Jisung knew.

It takes some time but they get along annoyingly well (like Seungmin always said they would) but Jisung is still bitter. It’s just another excuse for Seungmin to say ’I told you so’ that he doesn’t need anyway. It’s just that they had put so much unnecessary effort into disliking each and it falling away with a bit of decent conversation and respectful time spent together, if nothing else, just felt anticlimactic. It had never been hate, and it had always been built upon shaky foundations, but it’s just that disliking Hyunjin had somehow become habit, and bad habits die hard. He should’ve realised that the ‘I hate you’ pretense would fall away that easily in how the only real answer he’d arrive at when asked why he disliked Hyunjin in the first place was that they were both too far up their own asses. Because while he’d offer weak excuses or refuse to answer when asked, he knew at least subconsciously that that was the only answer. His ego was just too big and Hyunjin just too pretty.

He doesn’t even realise this after the first meeting despite how smart he considers himself. It takes a few more weeks and his guard to completely drop before he acknowledges that yeah, Seungmin was right (smug bastard always is), Jisung was just a dick. Though he’d be quick to say that Hyunjin was too. Relationships, good or otherwise, are never a one person effort, and the dislike had been clearly reciprocated.

  
  
  
  


 

“It’s cute that you’re trying to dress well, but stupid isn’t a good look. Didn’t you know?” Hyunjin smirks as Jisung grits his teeth in anger. Jisung looks like he’s ready to physically fight and that makes Hyunjin laugh out loud. That scrawny bitch thinks he could fight Hyunjin? He’d snap under his own ego before then. At the laugh Jisung looks like he’s really about to jump him before Seungmin grabs the back of his collar and drags him off without a word. They’ve just walked into class. Seungmin’s not dealing with this.

“Dude, what is your problem? Why’re you and Jisung like this?” Felix asks from his seat beside him. Honestly, it’s a fair question.

Hyunjin shrugs, “He started it first.”

Felix only looks more confused. The friend group has to physically separate the two and that’s Hyunjin’s only explanation? Felix opens and closes his mouth a few times but doesn’t really know what to say. He decides to just leave it, the petty feud isn’t worth his time. Hyunjin shrugs again. Jisung glares from across the classroom. Seungmin sighs deeply.

  
  
  
  


 

“You’re getting confused again; this is an  _ avoir  _ verb but you’re using agreements,” Jisung says, pointing out the mistakes as he speaks.

Hyunjin groans and drops his head dramatically onto the desk, “French can eat my ass for all I care.” Then he pouts up at Jisung. “Seungmin was right; you are amazing at this. I don’t understand how you’re so good.”

Jisung chuckles and reaches to ruffle Hyunjin’s hair goodnaturedly. “Just wait ‘til the poem competition. I can’t pronounce for shit.” He feels Hyunjin stiffen under his touch and he realises his mistake a beat too late, hand freezing in Hyunjin’s hair and eyes blown wide. But Hyunjin chuckles hesitantly and slowly relaxes, so Jisung relaxes as well, fixing the boy’s hair before retracting his hand and correcting Hyunjin’s work again, pointedly looking away. Hyunjin hides his face in his arms, refusing to lift his head from the table until his work is corrected, and Jisung misses the red on his cheeks.

  
  
  
  


 

**dandyboy_** :

im proud of u!!!

youre finally getting along with hyunjinnie!!!

 

**jj.han** :

im sorry what

says who

 

**dandyboy_** :

says neither of u running away when youre both at the lunch table

says u guys saying hi awkwardly in the halls

says all the progress u guys are making

says HYUNJIN

 

**jj.han** :

hhhhhh

mayhaps we are

 

**dandyboy_** :

!!!!!

 

**jj.han** :

mayhaps!

 

**dandyboy_** :

aslslksksklks he talks about u so much now i almost regret getting your heads out of your asses

 

**jj.han** :

suffer the consequences of your actions rat

 

**dandyboy_** :

no but im actually proud of you guys!!

 

**jj.han** :

..i think im kinda proud too

thanks minnie <3

  
  
  
  


 

Their first proper interaction outside of the library (that isn’t them fighting) comes weeks after the first tutoring sessions. Jisung is at his locker shoving his books in haphazardly when he sees Hyunjin barrelling down the hall. He expects a passing greeting at most like every other time they see each other in school; he’s probably here to talk to Seungmin, whose locker is nearby. Instead he finds Hyunjin running up to him and encasing him in a hug. He initially melts into the hug; Hyunjin is tall and built, Jisung is as small and soft as the squirrels he’s often compared to, and he’s always been very affectionate. And then he realises it’s  _ Hyunjin  _ who’s hugging him. Hyunjin who he used to hate (read: dislike for no reason). Hyunjin who he only talks to for only a few minutes once a week (they’re not really stiff with each other anymore but they still don’t talk much outside of Jisung explaining grammar). Hyunjin who he can still barely say hello to when they pass by in the hallways (because he’s still so pretty and Jisung’s too gay and panicked to handle it). It’s  _ Hyunjin.  _ But before Jisung fully registers the shock of Hyunjin (The Hyunjin Hwang!) hugging him, the taller boy lets go and starts talking.

“I just got a ninety-six on my French test!” he exclaims, almost physically buzzing with excitement, “A whole ninety-six percent!”

Jisung recovers from the shock and lights up, eyes big and sparkly, and heart-shaped smile on full display. “I’m so proud of you! You deserve every single percentage.” He’d never interacted so naturally with Hyunjin before, but he couldn’t help slipping into his usual “I’m everyone’s number one supporter” mode.

Hyunjin flushes at the praise. “Thank you! It was all you though,” he says shyly.

“Nonsense,” is Jisung’s firm reply, “You’re the one who did the test, you’re the one who got the result.”

Hyunjin giggles the way Jisung’s become very familiar with and very fond of. “Well, thank you anyway. For the compliment and for teaching me so well.” He beams and when he goes to hug Jisung again, Jisung holds him tight.

They start talking both in and outside of the tutoring sessions after that, and Jisung thinks he can finally, proudly call them friends.

  
  
  
  


 

He doesn’t realise until weeks after the Hug Incident (as Jisung has taken to calling it in his head). They haven’t actually hugged again, but their relationship has shifted. Sometimes Hyunjin leans in close when Jisung explains stuff, close enough that Jisung can feel his breath on his cheek and their seats are pushed together so much their thighs touch. They also talk normally now, have conversations about things that aren’t how you say prawn in French. Jisung learns that Hyunjin loves dance, has a pet dog that he treats as a sibling and he always laughs at Jisung’s very bad jokes. What’s probably the most surprising is that they aren’t afraid to touch each other anymore. Jisung plays with Hyunjin’s hand absentmindedly, Hyunjin likes to poke his cheeks, they lean on each other. And maybe it’s just Jisung reading into it too much but you need to trust people and be comfortable to touch each other, generally, and Jisung is proud he’s gained that trust now, whether it really means that much or not. That feeling that they’ve become friends feels  _ real  _ now and he’s really happy. And then he realises  _ why  _ that makes him so happy.

Seungmin is away for the day and for the first time, Jisung sits next to Hyunjin in class. Hyunjin seems surprised at first but Jisung doesn’t acknowledge this as an event, so Hyunjin doesn’t say anything either. The epiphany comes later, in the middle of class when Jisung is only half listening, fiddling with Hyunjin’s fingers and he leaning his head on the other boy’s shoulder the way he always does in the library. Hyunjin looks at him fondly and he smiles up at him in return. He feels warm and content despite the teacher rambling on about sequences and arithmetic stuff and other maths that usually makes him feel like his brain is melting and he finds himself thinking,  _ I like this. _ He compares his hand with Hyunjin’s and giggles a little at the size difference and laces their fingers together. Hyunjin looks down at him again, expression wide, but he doesn’t look back and continues holding his hand. It doesn’t occur to him that Hyunjin isn’t pulling away.  _ I like this _ , he thinks again,  _ I like Hyunjin. _ That’s when he realises it.  _ I like Hyunjin!  _ And then he has a mental breakdown.

  
  
  
  


 

**jj.han** :

oh no

oh no oh no oh no

ohnoohnoohnoohnoohnoohnoohno

Oh No

 

**dandyboy_** :

what

 

**jj.han** :

i think

oh god

hhhhhhhhh

i think maybe

alsjalkskskakalak

 

**dandyboy_** :

hurry and tell me what the fuck is up u over dramatic dumbass!!

 

**jj.han** :

oooh a vine reference u really are my best friend huh

 

**dandyboy_** :

just fucking tell me

youre stalling

 

**jj.han** :

HHHHHHH

ok

ithinkilikehyunjinlikeLikelikehimlikeiwannaholdhishandandkisshimandhughimandallthemushystufflikehim

 

**dandyboy_** :

YOURE ADMITTING U LIKE HYUNJIN

?!

 

**jj.han** :

alskalkskslskslals yes i am

 

**dandyboy_** :

jisung baby

darling

sweetie

loml

i love u but youre so stupid

u were destined to fall the moment u guys made eye contact for the first time and he actually got u to shut the fuck up

 

**jj.han** :

  
  
  


seungmin no one asked

  
  
  
  


 

Jisung is at his locker when he feels arms wrap around his waist. He doesn’t acknowledge whoever it is, instead paying attention to shoving his bag into his locker. He assumes it’s just Felix or Minho, close friends who both love to hug and cuddle, and Jisung is a frequent victim of their affection. They’re lower priority than his locker, little shits anyway. Then he turns to the head resting on his shoulder and flinches violently. He almost screams.

He places his hand over his heart, taking a moment to recover, then speaks, “Hey, Hyunjinnie.”

Hyunjin beams, giddy at the use of the nickname and the feeling of Jisung in his arms. “Hey, Sungie,” he says, pressing his nose to Jisung’s neck. Jisung wants to push him off. Having him this close while knowing they should only be friends is too much for him to handle. He’s afraid Hyunjin will feel the racing of his pulse on his neck, afraid Hyunjin will figure out he likes him through the fast beats, but most of all he’s afraid he’ll just snap and kiss Hyunjin right here and now.

Hyunjin just sways a little as Jisung tries his hardest to organise his books while seeming unaffected. Jisung wishes he could just be fucking normal. He hugs people all the time, hugs Hyunjin even, but his hands shake and his face burns and his heart just can’t take Hyunjin and he thinks he’ll pass out soon.

He thinks he's really going to when Hyunjin squeezes him one last time and lets go. “I’m off to annoy someone else,” he says, voice sweet despite his words, and he runs off down the hall. Jisung finds he misses his touch.

  
  
  
  


 

**jj.han** :

i love him so much

 

Seungmin’s not in the mood for another of Jisung’s twenty minute rants about how Hyunjin “teaches kids, Minnie! He fucking teaches kids dance for fun. How is he such an absolute angel?” or anything to that effect.

 

**dandyboy_** :

no.

  
  
  
  


 

It takes one bad day and it all fucking crashes and burns. Jisung doesn’t think he’s ever felt this upset. Hyunjin hasn’t cried this much in a long time.

  
  
  
  


 

Jisung is frustrated before Hyunjin even enters the library. A chemistry assignment has been weighing on him for about a month or so now and his most recent class was only a shitty reminder that he has no fucking clue what he’s doing even though it’s due in a few days. Maths right after was a different, equally as shitty reminder that numbers have been eating his ass since year nine and he has an average of 52 percent currently. He wants to just curl up into ball and sob until he doesn’t remember anything anymore. Instead he lies his on the table and waits for Hyunjin dejectedly. The work’s been so tiring he can’t even bring himself to be excited for his crush’s arrival.

Hyunjin arrives a little late. He just had a double session of dance and his teacher absolutely ripped apart his choreography. Doesn’t fit the stupid theme well enough apparently, and he needs to start again even though the performing arts night is only a week or two away. He’s just surprised he didn’t breakdown then and there.

When he gets to the library he doesn’t even acknowledge Jisung. He just pulls out his sheets and starts working. He’s ready to collapse but he has to do French he doesn’t care about. He’d so much rather be passed out at home. Jisung doesn’t talk either, only sits up and Hyunjin notes in passing that he looks worn as well.

The problem doesn’t start until later on.

“That’s wrong.” Hyunjin aggressively crosses out the mistake, fixes it, moves on.

“That’s incorrect.” Hyunjin crosses, fixes, moves on.

“What the fuck? It’s this.” Hyunjin crosses, fixes, moves on.

“It’s not that.” Hyunjin bites the inside of his cheek, irritated, but crosses. Fixes. Moves on.

“ _ That’s wrong!”  _ Hyunjin slams his pencil down. He’s reached his limit.

“Can you shut the fuck up? Stop correcting me like that!” Hyunjin’s completely exhausted and Jisung’s usually cute, high voice has suddenly become grating.

“I’ll stop correcting you once you stop making mistakes!” Jisung shouldn’t be so petty again. They should’ve moved past this. But Jisung is just so  _ tired _ and his temper is a lit cannon.

“I’m trying my best!”

“Try harder!”

“You’re such an annoying bitch!” Hyunjin has tears in his eyes as he fights to not yell. He wishes he wasn’t so sensitive, so  _ weak. _

Suddenly Jisung’s fuse goes out. He has tears in his eyes too, and his voice trembles when he speaks again. “I know I’m annoying. I know so fucking well how annoying I am. You know I wonder how I even have friends? How people put up with me?” He’s actually crying now and Hyunjin feels like each tear is another knife through his body. He wants to speak. To tell Jisung how wonderful he actually is, how sweet and bighearted and talented he is. But his throat is stuck and Jisung hasn’t finished. “I’m sorry you had to put up with me too.”

_ No!  _ Hyunjin wants to cry out.  _ No! You’re the best part of my week!  _ but his voice is stuck and Jisung is leaving now.

“You won’t have to deal with this  _ annoying bitch _ anymore.” There’s venom in his voice when he says that, potent, and it goes straight to Hyunjin’s vitals. “I won’t see you next week.”

Now Jisung is gone and Hyunjin sobs into his hands until the library closes for the night and so does his heart.

  
  
  
  


 

**princehyunjin** :

i love him so much

 

Seungmin knows what happened, has had both boys come to him in tears, but he can’t really do anything about it.

 

**dandyboy_** :

im sorry

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this!! It means a lot to me. Do leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed reading this mess, aha.
> 
> If you’re confused by anything that’s specific to Australia that I didn’t realise, comment and I’ll add it to the beginning notes for future readers.


End file.
